Kinematograph year book (1949)

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474 The Kinemafograpli Year Book. Technical Progress in 1948 by R. HOWARD CRICKS, F.B.K.S., F.R.P.S. THE technical survey of a year ago started with a summary oi the stringent Home Office regulations then, and still, in draft. (!) The past few months have seen a development which, on paper at least, would completely nullify the effect of these regulations — nonflam, film base. The Cinematograph Act, under which safety regulations are enforced in the kinema,(2) is, of course, based solely upon the use of, and the supposed dangers arising from, inflammable film. But it must not be assumed that, even though non-flam . stock became universally used — as may be the case in three to five years' time — the present regulations would cease to have validity, or that the new draft regulations would be withdrawn. Home Office Regulations The Home Office is naturally keenly interested in the situation, and it is almost certain that, before non-flam, base becomes general, an enabling act will be passed, under which those of the new regulations which are not rendered absolutelv superfluous by the elimination of the fire hazard (or such of them as the trade discussions do not succeed in deleting) will be re-imposed. But unfortunately these new regulations, even though officially they are merely a draft, have already been taken as a model by certain local authorities. It has been suggested that, while the former regulations if literally applied would close half our kinemas, the new regulations would close them all ! This may be something of an exaggeration, but undoubtedly the imposition of the new regulations would lead to considerable expenditure, estimated at many millions of pounds — expenditure which in the present national situation is quite impossible. Field tests are being conducted at the time of writing with slow-burning film stock manufactured by two firms, Kodak and Gevaert. Xo technical information is yet available concerning the latter, but the Kodak base was the subject of a detailed paper by G. J. Craig, given to the BKS in October. (3) The new material is known as triacetate ; its low inflammability is within the requirements of BS 850 (a specification which , although not officially recognised by the Home Office, was recommended for acceptance before the war by the Stonehaven Commission) . The mechanical properties of the new base far exceed those of previous slow-burning bases, and in some respects even exceed those of nitrate. The indications are that no difficulty whatever will be experienced in the kinema due to mechanical failure of the base. In any case, the legal advantages accruing from the use of the new stock will serve to overrule any technical objections, which it appears are merely a matter of usage. While an immediate change-over of manufacturers to the new stock For references denoted by figures in brackets see page 480. IM MIND For SOUND EQUIPMENT